Hydrocephalus is a disease that causes excessive cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) to build up in the ventricle of the brain. Treatment involves the surgical implantation of a shunt system into the skull to divert CSF from the ventricle to another part of the body, such as the peritoneal cavity or the right atrium of the heart. The shunt system includes a valve that regulates the flow of CSF. Two catheters are connected to the shunt: a proximal catheter inserted directly into the ventricle allows the CSF to flow into the shunt, and a distal catheter leads from the shunt under the skin to discharge the CSF to the drainage point.
The valve in the shunt system controls the direction of fluid flow and the pressure in the ventricle. A Codman Hakim programmable shunt includes a pressure differential valve the pressure of which can be adjusted non-invasively by a surgeon after implantation if necessary.
Both the proximal and distal catheters are connected to the shunt by suturing. The surgeon slips the catheter over a barb connection on the shunt and reinforces the connection with a knot above the burr.